1 F lee for safety, you children of Benjamin, out of the midst of Jerusalem! And blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and raise a signal over Beth-haccherem! For evil is looking forth with eagerness from the north, and great destruction.

Flee for safety, ye children of Benjamin, out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a signal in Beth-haccerem; for evil appeareth out of the north, and a great destruction.

2 T he comely and delicate one, the Daughter of Zion, I will destroy.

The comely and delicate one do I cut off, the daughter of Zion.

3 S hepherds with their flocks shall come against her; they shall pitch their tents round about her; they shall pasture, each one in his place.

Shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch tents against her round about; they shall feed every one in his place.

4 P repare yourselves for war against her; up, let us attack her at noon! But alas, the day declines, the evening shadows lengthen.

Prepare war against her. Arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day hath declined, for the shadows of the evening are lengthening.

5 A rise, let us go by night and destroy her palaces!

Arise, and let us go up by night, and let us destroy her palaces.

6 F or the Lord of hosts has said, Hew down her trees and cast up a siege mound against Jerusalem. This is the city which must be punished; there is nothing but oppression within her.

For thus hath Jehovah of hosts said: Hew ye down trees, and cast a mound against Jerusalem. She is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.

7 A s a fountain wells up and casts forth its waters and keeps them fresh, so she is casting forth wickedness. Violence and destruction are heard within her; sickness and wounds are continually before Me.

As a well poureth forth her waters, so she poureth forth her wickedness: violence and destruction are heard in her; before me continually are grief and wounds.

8 B e corrected, reformed, instructed, and warned, O Jerusalem, lest I be alienated and parted from you, lest I make you a desolation, an uninhabited land.

Be thou instructed, Jerusalem, lest my soul be alienated from thee; lest I make thee a desolation, a land not inhabited.

9 T hus says the Lord of hosts: They shall thoroughly glean as a vine what is left of Israel; turn back your hand again and again into the baskets, like a grape gatherer, and strip the tendrils.

Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: They shall thoroughly glean like a vine the remnant of Israel: turn back thy hand, as a grape-gatherer unto the baskets.

10 T o whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? Behold, their ears are uncircumcised, and they cannot hear or obey. Behold, the word of the Lord has become to them a reproach and the object of their scorn; they have no delight in it.

To whom shall I speak and testify, that they may hear? Behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of Jehovah is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.

11 T herefore I am full of the wrath of the Lord; I am weary of restraining it. I will pour it out on the children in the street and on the gathering of young men together; for even the husband with the wife will be taken, the aged with the very old.

And I am full of the fury of Jehovah, I am weary with holding in. Pour it out upon the children in the street, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken; the aged with him full of days.

12 A nd their houses will be turned over to others, their fields and their wives together; for I will stretch out My hand against the inhabitants of the land, says the Lord.

And their houses shall be turned unto others, fields and wives together; for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith Jehovah.

13 F or from the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is given to covetousness (to greed for unjust gain); and from the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely.

For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them, every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest, every one dealeth falsely.

14 T hey have healed also the wound of the daughter of My people lightly and neglectfully, saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace.

And they have healed the breach of the daughter of my people lightly, saying, Peace, peace! when there is no peace.

15 W ere they brought to shame because they had committed abominations (extremely disgusting and vile things)? No, they were not at all ashamed, nor could they blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I punish them they shall be overthrown, says the Lord.

Are they ashamed that they have committed abomination? Nay, they are not at all ashamed, neither know they what it is to blush. Therefore they shall fall among them that fall; at the time that I visit them they shall stumble, saith Jehovah.

16 T hus says the Lord: Stand by the roads and look; and ask for the eternal paths, where the good, old way is; then walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk in it!

Thus saith Jehovah: Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the ancient paths, which is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk.

17 A lso I set watchmen over you, saying, Hear and obey the sound of the trumpet! But they said, We will not listen or obey.

Also I have set watchmen over you:—Hearken ye to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.

18 T herefore hear, O nations, and know, O congregation, what to them.

Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O assembly, what is among them.

19 H ear, O earth: behold, I am bringing evil upon this people, the fruit of their thoughts (their schemes and devices) because they have not listened and obeyed My words, and as for My law, they have rejected it.

Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, the fruit of their thoughts; for they have not hearkened unto my words, and as to my law, they have rejected it.

20 T o what purpose does frankincense come to Me from Sheba and the sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor are your sacrifices sweet or pleasing to Me.

To what purpose should there come to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt-offerings are not acceptable, nor are your sacrifices pleasing unto me.

21 T herefore thus says the Lord: Behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before this people. And the fathers and the sons together will stumble against them; the neighbor and his friend will perish.

Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will lay stumbling-blocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall over them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish.

22 T hus says the Lord: Behold, a people is coming from the north country, and a great nation is arousing itself from the ends of the earth.

Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation is stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.

23 T hey lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel (ruthless and inhuman) and have no mercy. Their voice sounds like the roaring sea; they ride on horses, every one set in array as a man for battle against you, O Daughter of Zion!

They lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as a man for the battle, against thee, daughter of Zion.

24 W e have heard the report of it; our hands become feeble and helpless. Anguish has taken hold of us, pangs like that of a woman in childbirth.

We have heard the report thereof: our hands are grown feeble; anguish hath taken hold of us, pain as of a woman that travaileth.

25 G o not out into the field nor walk on the road, for the enemy is armed with the sword; terror is on every side.

Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy, terror is on every side.

26 O daughter of my people, gird yourself with sackcloth and wallow in ashes; make mourning as for an only son, a most bitter lamentation, for the destroyer will suddenly come upon us.

Daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and roll thyself in ashes: make mourning, for an only son—bitter lamentation; for the spoiler cometh suddenly upon us.

27 I have set you as an assayer and a prover of ore among My people, that you may know and try their doings and be like a watchtower.

I have set thee among my people as an assayer, a fortress, that thou mayest know and try their way.

28 T hey are all the worst of rebels and utter and total revolters against God, going about publishing slander. They are bronze and iron; they are all corrupters.

They are all the most rebellious of rebels, going about with slander: they are bronze and iron; they are all corrupters.

29 T he bellows blow fiercely, the lead is consumed by the fire; in vain do they continue refining, for the wicked are not removed.

The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed by the fire; they have melted, and melted in vain; and the bad are not plucked away.

30 M en will call them reprobate and rejected silver, because the Lord has rejected them.

Reprobate silver shall they call them, for Jehovah hath rejected them.